First Kiss, First Confusion
by CheshireCatAlex
Summary: That first kiss between Haji and Saya was just to begin her awakening and enable her to fight....right?
1. Confusion

A/N: Sadly I don't own Blood+ although I wish I did.

Alex: Okay ya'll this is one of the many anime that I am completely and totally obsessed with and I can't wait until it comes out on dvd. And damn it I hope it's soon! Anywho I thought I'd write a small interlude that takes place during the first episode, First Kiss, because I thought it'd be interesting to write out what I thought Saya and Haji were thinking and feeling, there's a bit of a sexual twist to it so bare with me I just find vampires freaking sexy as hell. I may follow up on this later but for now it's just a brake from my fic Record Keeper because I'm getting a wee bit burnt out on it as I'm sure many have noticed. Sally is on vacation so this is purely my own work hazah! And I'm still looking for a beta reader if anyone is interested.

First Kiss, First Confusion

(Saya's thoughts first)

Saya let out a gasp as her body slammed into the strangers as they skidded across the floor, her shoulder slammed into the floor and her head thumped the tile lightly dazing her with shock. She sat up quickly trying to crawl away, she couldn't wrap her mind around what was happening, she was scared and just wanted to go back home and pretend nothing had ever happened. He followed her, his weird hand knocking her arms out from under her, he loomed over her an instant later. Her red brown eyes grew wide as he raised above her his human hand grasping her jaw and chin lightly turning her head to him. His hand was warm against her cool flesh, she couldn't breath yet words escaped her lips, she couldn't have told a soul what she actually said to him. He leaned closer to her shifting her easily in his arms until his long bangs brushed her cheek, her eyes widened and her heartbeat doubled, a strange sensation curled in her belly warming her body.

His dark blue eyes locked on hers for a moment before his lips captured hers, her eyes widened at the prolonged contact of his firm warm lips, she blinked once. His arms shifted again and pulled her closer until she was snuggled firmly against him. His lips slid against hers parting them with the help of his hand on her jaw and her eyes widened yet again as warm blood filled her mouth, her entire body trembled, somehow the coppery liquid tasted right, her eyes slid shut. His arms tightened again pulling her flush against his chest his arm sliding tighter around her, farther up his strange clawed hand brushed over her breast as his arm slid over them pressing them up against his arm as he gripped his opposing arm to hold her close. Her eyes shut as the blood continued to flow into her mouth yet something else invaded as well, with a soft breath his tongue slid into her mouth to slide against hers and her mind fogged over.

Her muddled mind told her that it was wrong, what she was doing, that she shouldn't be enjoying the blood flowing down her throat nor the warm tongue that slid against hers spreading the blood throughout her mouth. Without realizing it she had began to kiss him back, it felt…right somehow, to be in his arms like this, her tongue slid against his and she felt something trickle down from the corner of her mouth. The tip of his tongue brushed over her bottom lip lightly before he lifted his head breaking their kiss, something strange was tingling through her body as he used a thumb to brush the trickle of blood that had escaped away.

"Saya, it's time for you to fight now." He spoke softly, then the images began to flash through her mind, he said something but she couldn't make out what.

(Haji's thoughts second!)

His duty was to protect her, to awaken her so that she could fight as she had said she would all those years ago. He dodged the attack and darted in front of her baring her to the floor careful to wrap his arms around her so that she wouldn't be harmed in the fall. Then she began to crawl away, he followed easily sweeping her arms out from under her, his arms slid around her holding her still. The blood in his mouth was his second priority, he loomed over her staring down into her fear filled face and felt the tarring of his heart. To see her look at him with so much fear in her eyes broke his heart into small pieces.

"Please stop…"she whimpered the words as he grasped her lower jaw in his still humanoid hand and tilted her head back he stared down into those red brown eyes for a moment, he bowed his head to her pressing his lips to hers he watched her brown eyes blink in surprise. He slid his lips apart using them and his hand to open her mouth to him allowing the blood to trickle into her mouth. His arms tightened in reflex, having her in his arms again after so long was something he had waited for all those lonely years. Her heart beat quickly against his arm and he gave into the heat curling through his body his lips parted hers farther and he pulled her against his chest his arm sliding around her sliding smoothly. His chiropteran hand brushed over one of the firm globes before it settled on her; he slipped his tongue into her mouth tasting his blood and something that was solely Saya.

He bit back a groan when her tongue slid back against his, he deepened their kiss only to feel a trickle of his blood escape the corner of her mouth, he pulled back slightly flicking the tip of his tongue over her bottom lip staining it red with his blood before he lifted his head breaking their kiss, he used his thumb to gently swipe away the blood on the corner of her mouth, "Saya it's time for you to fight…"

A/N: There may be some things off a bit but it's been a long time since I've watched the very first episode of Blood+ but I have to say it's one of my favorite anime. Enjoy and feel welcome to review and flame if that is your wish. Although this is a one shot I may add more to it later if Sally kicks me in the arse during another episode like she did the first one. A


	2. Temptation

A/N: I dun own Blood+.

Alex: Hey ya'll, seems that several people enjoyed my first fic from Blood+ so I thought I'd add another chapter although I do wish more people would review, who knows maybe this'll turn into a full blown fic instead of a series of one-shots. I'll admit it now I have a thing for guys with long hair and there are a few certain anime characters I'd absolutely love to get a hold of because they wear their hair up all the frigging time. 1) Haji, 2) Able Nightroad, and 3) Alucard because we all know his hair is freaking long as hell when he wants it to be grumbles and pouts. Via the reason there'll probably be a fic for Trinity Blood having Abel's hair being molested so to speak :D I'm so bad.

Sally: Nah, you're just twisted hun.

Alex: Ya think?! Anywho this is set during the episode where Saya is in Germany, just a fun little piece that I came up with on a whim. Also I know a lot of people spell Haji's name as Hagi…..s'not spelled that way dern it! In japan, where the show and manga originated, it's spelled Haji therefore that is how I spell it.

Temptation

(Saya first again!)

Saya drug the comb through her damp hair one last time before exiting the bathroom, Liza had already left to get Riku and make sure he was ready. Haji on the other hand stood by the hotel room door waiting on her his cello case sitting beside him leaned against the wall as he tried to tie the ribbon back in his hair. Although his face was ever passive she could see the annoyance spark in his blue eyes as the ribbon slipped from his grasp again due to his bandaged hand. She smiled and walked forward, "Do you want me to help Haji?" she stopped a few feet from him and tilted her head back to stare up at him a small smile on her lips. He looked at her in his bland way his hands pausing on the ribbon. She smiled tilting her head just a bit, "It'll be a lot quicker you know." She nodded towards the chair next to the desk, "I promise it'll be painless Haji." He gave her his usual bland stare and moved smoothly to the chair after dropping his hands and the ribbon to his sides.

Using the comb still in her hand she began to untangle the mess that he had made of his hair, how he ever got it up neatly was beyond her at times. She tilted her head as she combed through the silky dark strands her fingers following lightly after the comb to place the strands back to where they were supposed to be. The evil little part of her wanted to do his hair in little braids just to see his reaction, to see if she could bring a look of shock to that handsome deadpan face of his. A small evil smirk grew as the thought of pigtails instead of braids entered her mind; her fingers itched to pull his hair into those arrangements. In fact they just itched to burrow into his hair and stay there, temptation could be troublesome.

A small hiss of breath made her pause in realization that she had begun massaging his scalp as she combed his hair even now as she began combing again she let her fingernails rake lightly over his scalp and down his neck. She felt the muscles of his neck and shoulders tense under her fingertips. There was that temptation again, to thread her fingers through his hair, she gave in to it and let her fingers sift through his hair. In truth she liked his hair down, "Tilt your head back Haji." She spoke softly and he did as bid staring up at her through half closed blue eyes as she combed his hair straight back from his face.

Although his face was still passive there was something deep in his eyes, a kind of curiousness as to why she was doing this, a kind of longing hidden deep down so that it was barely there at all. She smiled slightly and tilted her head, "Haven't you ever had anyone comb your hair Haji?" He blinked.

"No, not in a very long time." She brushed her fingertips along his forehead to gather any tray strands that she had missed. He continued to stare up at her as she combed and she could feel her cheeks warming, another temptation took the place of the first although her fingers still treaded their way through his hair. She tried to keep her eyes focused on either his dark blue gaze or his hair and her hands, even then her eyes drifted to his lips. She felt the blood rush to her cheeks and she smiled to hide it.

"Okay back to normal." He blinked slowly then lifted his head, "Okay shake your head just a little." He did as told and his long bangs fell back into place as she began gathering the rest into a low pony tail brushing her fingers against the back of his neck and near his ears to make sure she didn't miss any stray hairs. She blinked when she felt a slight shiver from him, she gathered his hair in one hand tossing the comb on the desk and leaned forward to hold her hand over his shoulder, "Ribbon please." A moment later the ribbon landed in her hand his fingertips grazing her palm, her face flushed red as goose flesh raced up her arm, she quickly wrapped the ribbon around the gathered hair twice making sure it was tight enough before she looped it into a neat bow. Giving one last light tug on the bow she sighed and dropped her hands to her sides, "There you go Haji, all done." She stepped back from the chair to allow him to rise carefully scooting back a little more when he turned toward her.

He stared down at her with his blank expression although to her his eyes seemed a shade darker and his eyes seemed to drift down to rest on her lips before rising again, "Thank you, Saya." She knew her cheeks had darkened again, she smiled slightly and nodded.

"No problem Haji, maybe you should start bandaging each finger separate?" he seemed to loom over her for a moment as he moved closer and her heartbeat accelerated slightly. His eyes drifted down again to her mouth.

"Perhaps, the others are waiting." He stared down at her for a moment longer his eyes flicking up to her own before he moved past her to pick up his cello case his un-bandaged hand fell to the door handle, "Shall we?" she nodded and followed him from the room.

(Haji now!)

Haji suppressed the urge to frown as the ribbon slipped from his grasp yet again, in truth he usually put his hair up when alone so that he could use his Chiropteran hand un-bandaged. However when near Saya he tried to keep it bandaged least she began to remember how he had lost his original hand. His annoyance grew as the ribbon slipped again, in truth he was only making a mess of his hair now. He contemplated leaving it down for once.

"Do you want me to help Haji?" he blinked at her and thought of refusing the offer, he didn't know if he could refuse the temptation of having her so near yet being unable to touch her, "It'll be a lot quicker you know," she nodded to the chair at the desk, "I promise it'll be painless Haji." He moved to the chair without a second thought then mentally kicked himself, stupid, stupid! He forced his body to relax at the first touch of the comb and her fingers on his hair. His eyes closed and his body fully relaxed as she stroked his hair with both the comb and her fingers her touch light and gentle so that she didn't pull as she untangled the mess he had made.

She began threading her fingers through his hair her fingers brushing over his scalp massaging, he let out a hiss of air before he knew what he'd done. Her fingernails raked lightly down his scalp and his neck and he tensed as he suppressed a shiver. He felt her fingers thread through his hair allowing it to sift through her fingers, "Tilt your head back Haji." He complied without thinking to her soft command, his mind was hazy, pleasure filled and if he had been a more emotional person he probably would have given into the temptation of purring like a cat. Her warm fingers feathered his brow as she swept up tray hairs, his eyes stayed locked on hers as he fought the temptation of lifting his hand to pull her head down to his to touch his lips to hers, "Haven't you ever had anyone comb your hair Haji?" her softly spoken question made him blink and he answered without really thinking.

"No, not in a very long time." It was the truth, the last time he had had someone comb his hair was when he still lived with his parents and his mother had taken care of him. He watched her eyes drift from his gaze to his lips, her cheeks warmed to a dull shade of pink and she paused in her combing to smile.

"Okay back to normal." He lifted his head and it helped take the temptation partially away but it would have been so easy to turn and capture her lips with his own, "Okay shake your head just a little." Once again he complied and felt his bangs and hair fall back around his face and shoulders for only a moment before her fingers began gathering it up her fingers brushing his ears and neck, he suppressed his shiver as much as he could but he didn't doubt that she had felt it all the same. The comb landed on the desk in front of him and he felt her hand brush his shoulder as she held it out for the ribbon, "Ribbon please." He lifted his human hand placing the ribbon in her smaller one, he gave in and let his fingers trail along her palm for a bare moment before he dropped it again, her felt her wrap the ribbon tightly around his hair and tie it into a bow, "There you go Haji, all done."

He heard her move back a few steps so he could stand, she took another small step backwards when he turned towards her. His eyes were drawn back to her lips like a magnet to metal, the temptation was back, to slide forward and take her lips. He forced his eyes back upwards pushing the thought down and away as her cheeks darkened, "Thank you, Saya."

"No problem Haji, maybe you should start bandaging each finger separate?" Her cheeks darkened more and she smiled. He moved closer almost as if in a trance as his eyes dropped to her lips again.

"Perhaps, the others are waiting." He slapped the thought away once again and slid past her rather quickly by his standards to pick up his cello case before he truly did give into the temptation of kissing her again he gripped the door handle with his bandaged hand, "Shall we?" she nodded and followed him from the room. Temptation, he thought in a rather grim and modern way, really was a bitch.

A/N: Well there we go, maybe not as good as my first but I like it. Enjoy ya'll!


	3. A Kiss pt 1

A/N: I dun own Blood+!

Alex: blinks up from her laptop a peice of pocky hanging from her mouth Hi ya'll! I'm back with another chapter for this little…um….thingy! It's not really a story in like actual 'has a plot' sense but I like it. So here we go. This takes place right after the fake Liza tells Saya the half truth. I also want to thank everyone on both websites for sending so many reviews, you guys have made me uber happy! Now if only I could get this many reviews on my other fic pouts and continues munching pocky. And just as a side note I've added a little scene in here, next chapter will take place a the Zoo….damn I wish this show would come out in English on dvd sobs. Also just as those of you know I'm infatuated with vampires looks all evil and gleeful and the concept of giving someone blood in a kiss is just freaking sexy to someone like me who is totally twisted and screwed up in the head.

Sally: You know they have a word for what you are…. This chapter will only be in Saya's view, the next chapter will be Haji's view of this chapter, I like to keep things complicated.

A Kiss

Anger and betrayal still rung in her mind and heart making it heavy to a painful level. Confusion however was at the forefront of her mind at all times, why couldn't she remember?! It was so frustrating to have everyone around her know who and what she was yet she had no idea, just faint flashing images that invaded her mind every so often. It hurt her all the more that Haji had known what she was and kept if from her, she dared to peek up at him and found him staring ahead as they walked, ever vigilant for any danger to her. Yet he didn't seem to realize that she thought of herself as a danger to everyone around her, even him.

"We should find you something to eat." She had to force down the bile that rose in her throat, she couldn't eat, just the thought of food made her sick. She chalked it up to the shock of finding out she was a monster, her hands curled into fists and she fought down the tears of depression forcing out a steady tone.

"I'm fine Haji." She had already confronted him in the truck yet he still wouldn't tell her anything saying that she needed to remember on her own. And that reason had helped bring even more determination into her thoughts of the Zoo. She glanced up at the darkening sky, the moon was low in the sky and a few stars shimmered here and there.

"We should stop for the night." It wasn't a question just an observation from her companion. The dull emotionless voice matched his straight face, it was hard to believe that he used to smile and speak more than one sentence at a time. She bit her bottom lip, she had caused that change in him, although she couldn't remember it she knew that she had made him this way. Her heart felt heavy all over again at that thought, her mind was so preoccupied that she didn't notice when he led her off of the road and up a small hill to a large tree. She blinked when he stopped and looked around.

"Haji? What are we doing?" he shifted his cello case off of his shoulder and knelt down with it.

"Stopping for the night, if you won't eat you at least need to rest." Being still for only those few moments made her shiver, it was still quite chilly even though the grass and trees were green. Curiosity made her head tilt when she heard the locks of his cello case pop open, he shifted something and turned to hand her a blanket. She blinked at it for a moment before she took it, "You had best try to sleep Saya." He leaned his cello case against the tree and sank down next to it. She watched him for a moment before she sank down to her knees a little ways from him and wrapped the blanket around her shoulders and stared up at the stars.

Every so often she could hear Haji shifting positions mixed in with the night sounds of crickets and frogs. She peeked over at him in time to see his dark blue eyes slide from her back to the sky, he was worried about her, she couldn't blame him she was worried about herself as well. She took a deep breath, "Haji?" she turned to face him slightly as he moved his gaze back to her, "Why won't you tell anything about my past? Di..Did I do something bad? Was I like the others back then?"

"It is best for you to remember on your own Saya, having the memories forced upon you wouldn't be wise and it would most likely be painful for you." She shifted her eyes down to her boot tips which peeked out from under the blanket.

"It's painful either way, everyone is keeping it from me as if you don't want me to remember." She looked at him again, "I have so few memories of things before last year, I have very few of you and you've supposedly been with me most of my life…. Which I guess has been a long time considering that I'm a…." she clenched her hands and her teeth at that thought. She was a monster, sure she had always known that she was different but she never thought she was a monster!

"Perhaps some things are better off not remembered." She heard him shift again and knew that he was hiding his bandaged hand from view, "Surely not all of your memories were bad that you have had so far." She thought about that and a funny warm feeling grew in her chest as the image of his smile tickled the edge of her mind at the same time she felt a small smile tug at the corners of her lips. He blinked at her and she blushed.

"No, not all of them have been bad." She shifted laying down in the grass to curl up, "Will you tell me the promise Haji?" she tilted her head back slightly to look at him. He looked down at the grass instead of at her, "Haji?" her stomach chose that moment to growl loudly, she felt her face heat and she turned her gaze away from him pulling the blanket up around her ears.

"You really need to eat or drink my blood." She cringed, the thought of eating still made her sick and drinking blood just seemed wrong still.

"I'm fine." She tugged the blanket up higher and closed her eyes. She forced her mind to stop and ignored her growling stomach so that she could sleep. It was a fitful sleep full of shimmers of her memories and she woke more than once during the night once to Haji stroking her bangs from her eyes, the same warm feeling in her chest surfaced even as the action caused her to relax into sleep again.

It was only two hours till dawn when the temperature dropped (Those of you who live in the south know what I'm talking about when the temperature drops like an hour of so before daylight…..it freaking sucks!) she shivered and turned on her side curling up into a little ball under the blanket her teeth chattering together. She drifted towards the waking world enough to hear Haji move, she heard his footsteps before he knelt next to her.

"Saya?"

"Mmh?" she was too cold to speak.

"Are you cold?" she blinked blearily up at him, he was un-phased by the cold and what was stranger yet was that he had dew caught in his hair. She couldn't help the small smile that curved her lips, her chevalier was handsome as well as her best friend. She nodded to his question.

"Mm-hmm." She shivered again and her stomach growled, she felt her cheeks heat all over again. She burrowed farther under her blanket, she let out a yelp when he scooped her up in his arms, "Wha?" she blinked again as he stood and moved over to the tree again, he sat back down cradling her in his lap. His hands shifted the blanket until it was wrapped around both of them. Saya lay stiff in his arms for a few minutes until the heat of his body began to seep through her icy flesh, she relaxed shifting slightly snuggling into him her hand gripping the lapel of his jacket. She peeked up at him, he was staring down at her with his unreadable expression, if it weren't for his eyes he would have passed the look off as indifferent. His eyes, however, were worried, "Haji?" her stomach growled insistently.

"You need to eat Saya." She looked away from him and shook her head slightly snuggling closer to his chest, his arms shifted from around her shoulders, one slid down until it was wrapped around her slender waist. He shifted her until she could curl against his chest both hands tangled in his shirt and jacket to get her fingers warm, she snuggled her cheek against his shoulder. His bandaged hand moved from her waist and she heard the slide of fabric against his hand as he rid himself of the fabric he curled the hand closed the long claw-like nails sinking into his palm, blood pooled from the wounds, "You need my blood." He moved his hand to her lips only to have her to turn her head away, something roared inside her to drink the scarlet liquid but the morals she had learned in the past year rebelled against it.

"I can't." she whispered the words into his shirt.

"You have before Saya." She felt her body tense, the haze of sleep was long gone and she was finally beginning to get warm again.

"You…the first time wasn't my choice Haji, you fed me your blood that time. And the second I only drank from you to save Kai, I'm not a monster like them." She felt his free arm tighten around her shoulders.

"You are not a monster Saya." She felt him shift her in his arms again, "Is that what it would take?" she frowned and tilted her head back.

"Wha..mph!" her heart thumped heavily in her chest when he grasped her jaw with his chiropteran hand and fastened his lips over hers, having been in the middle of speaking her lips were already open under his. His lips parted just slightly and a slow trickle of blood flowed into her mouth. Her eyes were wide for a moment in shock before she was forced to swallow the blood in her mouth; his dark blue eyes were locked onto her shocked ones for a long moment before hers slid closed. She could feel his blood working its way through her taking care of her hunger and injuries from the fight with the fake Liza.

His lips parted farther allowing more blood to flow into her mouth; her hands tightened their hold on his jacket when the odd curling warm feeling crept its way through her stomach and chest. She knew it wasn't an actual kiss but she still had to squash the instinct to slide her arms up around his neck. Memories of the first time he had fed her flooded her mind, that time seemed more like a kiss then a feeding to her, the way he had pulled her close and slid his tongue into her mouth, compared to that this feeding was a little disappointing. Shock poured though her again, it hit her that she wanted him to kiss her like that again. Guilt followed shock, she was a monster, she was enjoying the taste of his blood and the strength that it was giving her. She was enjoying being held by him, she felt safe in his arms, protected.

His claw like hand relaxed its grip on her jaw, the flow of blood slowed then stopped but his mouth stayed pressed against hers as she swallowed the last bit. When he didn't pull away immediately she opened her eyes to find his eyes clenched closed his brow furrowed in what seemed to be concentration.

He still didn't lift his lips from hers, just as she was about to pull away herself his face smoothed the same moment his clawed hand slid from her jaw into her hair to cup the back of her head. He tilted his head slightly sealing their lips together; she let out a soft squeak when his blood coated tongue slid into her mouth to slide against hers. Her heart skipped a few beats before picking up an erratic new pace, her eyes slid closed again as his tongue stroked hers slowly. Her hands relaxed their grip on his jacket, for a moment she fought the temptation of kissing him back, her resolve crumbled in seconds. She shifted pressing her lips against his even as she wrapped her tongue around his, her arms slid up around his neck her hands burrowing into his hair loosening the ribbon that held it back.

She heard a soft sound escape from the back of her throat, the arm that had been wrapped around her shoulders slid down to wrap around her waist pulling her closer as he tilted her head back just slightly. She had no doubt that he had heard that soft sound just as she heard the soft growl like moan he pulled his lips from hers the tip of his tongue flicking across her bottom lip to remove a bit of blood. He stared down at her as she opened her eyes, she felt dazed and her body tingled as did her lips which she could feel were slightly swollen. Her tongue flicked out to remove the last traces of blood from her lips, she knew her face was red due to the heat filling her cheeks.

"Haji?" she slid her hands from his hair and used her thumbs to clean the blood from the corners of his lips. Her body felt warm as she stared up at him, there was something unreadable in his eyes and she wondered why, "Why?" she didn't realize that she had said the word aloud until she saw the slight spark of panic in his eyes. It was there only a moment before it disappeared and she felt her heart stop, she needed to fix that slip of the lips before she caused him more pain.

"Saya.." she smiled and wrapped her arms back around his neck burying her face into her chest, "I.." she shook her head slightly.

"Don't Haji, I would like to know why but I'm not going to ask again. Just hold me." And that's what he did he pulled her closer his face burrowing into her hair as she drifted back into sleep warm in safe in his arms.

A/N: Okay guys that's all for this chapter, it turned out much longer than I though it would and so I'm ending it in Saya's view for now. The next chapter will be over the same thing but in Haji's view just to keep you guys in a slight suspense about what's going on in his head.


	4. A Kiss pt 2

A/N: I dun own Blood+

Alex: Aaaaaand here we go! Haji's view weeee!

Sally: You're insane you know that?

Alex: blinks all innocent like Ya think?! Really?! And thank you everyone for all the great reviews, but if you like this story try reading InuYasha: Legend of the Record Keeper and An Angel's Wings (my new Trinity Blood fic that will be posted within the next day or so.).

A Kiss: Giving In

He worried, it was as simple as that. He worried for her every moment of his long life, and now that worry was heightened by her refusal to eat or drink his blood. That worry took the form of fear for her well being, it gripped his heart and made it hard for him to think or breathe. He watched her from the corner of his eye as they walked down the old path that would lead them to the Zoo. He continued to watch her, how she moved, how her forehead wrinkled just slightly when in deep thought, but what bothered him the most was the sad lost look in her eyes. The red brown depths were haunted now. He could see her mind working furiously to come up with answers, the range of emotions that streamed through her eyes tore at his heart and then there was the rumbling of her stomach, he almost smiled when it growled some things never changed.

"We should find you something to eat." He spoke without thinking.

"I'm fine Haji." He caught the pained expression that flitted across her face and let it drop for the time being. They traveled farther in silence until he spotted the weary droop of her shoulders, he already knew that she wouldn't admit she was tired, she would say that she was fine and continue on.

"We should stop for the night." He kept his tone even so that he didn't sound like he was telling her that she had to stop. He waited a few minutes then directed them both towards the largest tree he could find leaning his cello case against the trunk when he reached it.

She blinked at him confused, "Haji? What are we doing?"

"Stopping for the night, if you won't eat you at least need to rest." He unfastened his case and pulled the blanket he kept under his cello free handing it to her, he saw her shiver and the sense of worry returned. He closed his case and leaned it back against the tree before he sank down next to it, "You had best try to sleep Saya." She sank on the other side of his cello case and wrapped the blanket around her shoulders before tilting her head back to stare at the stars. He followed her lead resting the back of his head against the tree trunk.

"Haji?" he turned his head to look at her and found her staring back at him, his heart did a funny little flip in his chest at the sadness and confusion in her gaze "Why won't you tell anything about my past? Di..Did I do something bad? Was I like the others back then?" his heart squeezed violently and he bandaged hand clenched.

"It is best for you to remember on your own Saya, having the memories forced upon you wouldn't be wise and it would most likely be painful for you." It was the truth for the most part, but being the one to tell her all the bad she had done would hurt him as well as her. He couldn't bring himself to be the one to bring that pain back into her life, he turned his gaze back to the stars so that she couldn't read his eyes.

"It's painful either way, everyone is keeping it from me as if you don't want me to remember." He could feel her eyes on him as she spoke and that feeling sent a small shiver up her spine, "I have so few memories of things before last year, I have very few of you and you've supposedly been with me most of my life…. Which I guess has been a long time considering that I'm a…." he glanced at her and watched the muscles in her jaw shift as she clenched her teeth.

"Perhaps some things are better off not remembered." He shifted his arm out of her view, he hoped that was one memory she never regained, "Surely not all of your memories were bad that you have had so far." He watched a small smile tug at her lips and the dread that had seemed to settle over him disappeared somewhat, he blinked at her wondering what she was thinking of and her face turned a pretty shade of pink.

"No, not all of them have been bad." She shifted curling up on the ground pulling the blanket up over her shoulders, "Will you tell me the promise Haji?" his heart stilled in his chest as she asked that question and tilted her head to look at him, "Haji?" her stomach chose that moment to growl loudly saving him from answering that question.

"You really need to eat or drink my blood." He watched her body tense.

"I'm fine." She tugged at the blanket again and closed her eyes, moments later she was asleep beside him. He watched over her and felt each frown and whimper that accompanied her sleep all the way to his soul. She shifted once her hair falling into her face and he immediately moved his hand to brush, he knew that she came partially awake at his touch but she only sighed and relaxed again. It was close to dawn when the temperature dropped that she tensed again her body shaking in the cold, she turned to her side and curled up into a small ball under the blanket.

It was then that he chose to move, he couldn't let his Saya freeze, he could already hear her teeth chattering together. He stood and moved to her side kneeling down next to her, "Saya." He spoke softly but had no doubt that she heard him.

"Mmh?" she murmured the sound instead of speaking.

"Are you cold?" she blinked sleepily up at him and he saw something glimmer in the sleepy depths of her eyes and wondered briefly what she was thinking when a small smile curved her lips as she nodded.

"Mm-hmm." She shivered again and her stomach growled causing her cheeks to warm as she tried to disappear under the blanket. He didn't have to think about it, in one smooth movement he had scooped her up in his arms and stood, "Wha?" she yelped the half word as he moved back to his place against the tree trunk and sat back down. With quick easy movements he arranged the blanket around them both, sharing his body heat to keep her warm. She lay stiff in his arms for several moments before she relaxed snuggling against him, feeling her icy skin against his human hand bushed against her flesh, worry spiked again as she tilted her head up to look at him again, "Haji?" her stomach growled again.

"You need to eat Saya." She turned away shaking her head again, snuggling closer to his chest, he shifted his arms from around her shoulders, he slid one around her shoulders and the other around her wiast. He shifted her until she could curl against his chest and she slid both hands up to his shirt tangling them in the cloth to get them warm, she snuggled her cheek against his shoulder and his heart did another quick flip. His bandaged hand moved from her waist, he used his teeth to loosen the bandages letting them fall to the grass before he curled his claws inwards sliding his palm he watched the blood pool in his palm, "You need my blood." He moved his hand to her lips only to have her to turn her head away, he saw the hunger flash in her eyes yet she rejected it.

"I can't." she whispered the words into his shirt burring her face into his chest as she did so.

"You have before Saya." He felt her tense again the haze of sleep gone.

"You…the first time wasn't my choice Haji, you fed me your blood that time. And the second I only drank from you to save Kai, I'm not a monster like them." He tightened his arm around her shoulders acting more on impulse than thought, his heart tightened in his chest, if it was the only way to get her to feed then so be it.

"You are not a monster Saya." He shifted her slightly turning her more to the side so that he could see her more clearly, "Is that what it would take?" he quickly lifted his hand draining the palm full of blood into his mouth as she tilted her head back a frown on her face.

"Wha..mph!" he grasped her jaw with his clawed turning her face up and towards his, he lowered his moth to hers in one quick movements fastening his lips over hers quickly cutting off her words. Her lips were cool under his and already open, he parted his own lips and let the blood drain into her mouth. Her eyes stayed wide open in surprise locked on his for a moment then slid shut, it was only then that he let his own eyes close. He enjoyed the sensation of her lips against his as they slowly warmed, he couldn't resist the temptation of sliding his lips against hers, he gave in just parting his lips a little more just to feel the sensation of her lips sliding against his.

Her hands tightened their hold on his jacket and shirt, he relaxed his grip on her jaw as the flow of blood slowed then stopped yet he couldn't seem to lift his lips from hers. Just a few seconds more of feeling this sort of contact with her, the temptation to take the press of lips to another level was strong enough he thought he'd choke. Seconds ticked by yet he couldn't bring himself to lift his lips, they tingled and the need to slide his tongue into her mouth to taste her again as he had the night he had began her awakening rippled though him. In truth he hadn't meant to turn that feeding into a kiss but the feeling of her in his arms again had over ridden thought much as it was doing now. He felt her shift and her lips slipped against his slightly causing the temptation to grow two fold, it took all the will he had to keep from tightening his hold on her.

He felt the shift in her body that signaled that she was going to pull away from him and his will snapped, he gave in to the temptation of her mouth. He slid his hand from her jaw around to the back of her head to rest it lightly in her hair as he tilted his head just slightly sealing their lips as his tongue slid into her mouth mixing the taste of blood with her taste. She made a soft sound as his tongue slid against hers, he could feel her erratic pulse against his fingers and had no doubt that his own matched hers. His entire body seemed to tingle as her grip on his shirt front loosened her hands sliding up to burrow into his hair loosening it from the navy ribbon that held it up.

Another soft sound escaped her and he felt a shiver race down his spine as his arm slid from her shoulders to wrap around her waist pulling her closer as his other hand tilted her head back just a bit. Before he could stop it he heard the soft sound he himself made, it was a cross between a moan and a growl and he had no doubt that she heard it with her sharp ears. He pulled his lips away his tongue flicking over her bottom lip to remove the small drop of blood that remained there, he stared down at her as she opened her eyes enjoying the breathless look and flushed cheeks, her lips were slightly swollen and still stained with his blood. He watched her flick her tongue out to remove the last traces of blood from her lips.

"Haji?" she spoke softly as she slid her hands from his hair to cup the sides of his face her thumbs brushing over the corners of his lips to remove traces of blood, he felt numb for a moment his emotions running rampant. He let his icy façade fall into place over his face and his eyes, "Why?" panic rose at her simple question, a question that she voiced and asked with her eyes, eyes that pleaded for the answer. He quickly masked that panic, he needn't worry her with his thoughts or his feelings, not after the promise that they had both made.

"Saya.." she smiled and wrapped her arms back around his neck burrowing her face back into his chest, "I…" she shook her head slightly stopping his words.

"Don't Haji, I would like to know but I'm not going to ask again. Just hold me." Warmth surfaced at her simple request as well as the thought she put into allowing him to keep his thoughts and feelings to himself, his Saya had grown up so much since the last time she had been awake. Living with the humans had been a good thing for her. He pulled her closer and buried his face in her hair as she drifted back into sleep safe in his arms. He himself let his eyes close and his mind drift his body relaxed against hers, he didn't need sleep but he could rest and relax with her safe in his arms. He smiled just slightly when she snuggled against his chest whispering his name in her sleep.

A/N: Whoot that's it for this chapter all in Haji's view jus as I said it would be. I hope you all enjoy it and I want to thank everyone so much for your reviews, you have no idea how happy they make me. Although there may be some differences in this chapter than in the last I hope they're not too bad and I tried to keep Haji as much in character as I could. Thank you again and enjoy. A


	5. Waltz

A/N: I dun own Blood … because if I did Haji would be in serious trouble.

Alex: Hello all, sadly Sally is to busy whispering in my ear to comment so I'll just say what needs to be said. I'm sorry that it has been so long since I've updated this story but work has been kind of hectic since my boss had to go in for surgery and now we're having to pick up the slack due to the fact of her being gone for about three weeks…and it's just started this week. v.v So chapters on most of my stories will probably slow down a lot more than they already have. Sorry, but lets get on with the chapter.

Waltz

(Saya's point of view)

Saya stared up at the ruins of the old manor that had once been her home, the very place that she had been born and the war between Diva and herself had started. They had been all over the grounds as memories had returned to her some good some bad, the pain in her chest was still sharp now that she knew that she was the one who had stopped time for Haji. If she had known what would happen when she gave him her blood she never would have done it, in reality if she had known any of this was going to happen she would have never let Diva out or have asked Haji to get that stupid flower.

She wondered up the steps to the charred and crumbling walls of the manor and peeked in through the door, the stone and wood floors seemed to be alright in the hall and she carefully placed a foot inside.

"Saya, it's to dangerous to go inside." He was directly behind her and she felt her nerves prickle sharply and her heart skip a beat.

"It's okay, it looks solid enough, maybe…" she continued on inside and he followed not leaving her to be in danger by herself for a moment. They wondered down the halls small scraps of memories surfaced with each step, some were just of Haji and her playing games others were of her walking with the first Joel. She reached back daftly latching her fingers onto Haji's sleeve as they walked careful not to step on any unsafe looking areas. Just the small act of holding onto his sleeve made her feel safe again, like the entire war wasn't her fault even though it truly was.

She paused in front of a large door and frowned up at it, small scraps of memory came to the surface, she was saying something about not wanting to learn something. She turned slightly and peeked over her shoulder at Haji, "Um.. Haji… What room is this?" he stared at her for a long moment.

"The ballroom." She turned back towards the door a frown still on her lips.

"I hated this room, I didn't like learning how to dance." She wrinkled her nose at the thought, "All the dances that Joel had me learn were stuffy and complicated." She pushed against the large charred door and it swung open with a loud groan of its rusted hinges. She looked down at her hand and had to dust off soot as she walked in.

The fire damage hadn't really gotten that far in this room, the wood paneled walls were a bit charred and the old paintings that had decorated the walls were gone. Stuff from the ceiling littered the floor, the old silver candleholders were missing yet pools of wax lay on the floor where the fire had melted the old white candles. The chandelier lay broken in the middle of the floor covered in cobwebs and soot, the floor itself was alright due to the marble it was made of. The wall of windows that faced towards the garden were busted some missing completely like the heavy velvet drapes that were hanging tattered and burned. Old instruments lay in a heap around the burned piano apparently ones that people had been unable to save.

"You know now that this place looks like this I feel kind of sad, I liked dancing after I learned how." She stepped farther into the room the heels of her boots clicking lightly on the dirty stone floor.

_The room changed in her minds eye, it was clean and glowing with candle light as couples whirled around the ballroom in a graceful waltz, people were laughing and having a good time. They were happy, Saya stood against the wooden wall in her pink silk dress that Joel had given her to wear to the party. He always dressed her in pink it seemed, yet no one seemed to want to dance with her even with all the pains she had went through to learn the dances that everyone was doing, it made her depressed and it hurt somewhat deep in her stomach. Then a hand was held out to her, a hand with long slender fingers, her eyes had shot up to meet the dark blue of Haji's eyes before she had placed her hand in his so that he could lead her to the dance floor._

_He had led her right hand to his shoulder as he wrapped his arm around her waist and caught her left hand up before he began moving them around the floor easily avoiding the other dancers. Each step he took was graceful and fluid as they moved across the floor, Saya hadn't been able to keep from smiling up at him her heart beating a mile a minute, he always knew what would make her happy. He had danced with her until the song ended and when no one had asked to dance with her he had led her to the floor again and so it had went the entire night until finally a gentleman had asked to dance with her. Saya had peered back at him as she had been led to the floor, the small smile that had graced his face when they had danced was gone replaced by a slightly sadder smile._

Saya turned to look at Haji from her place in the charred ballroom to look at the man waiting for her in the doorway, from the look in his all too expressive midnight eyes she could tell he was remembering the same thing she was. She tilted her head just slightly and studied him for a moment, "Haji?" his eyes turned to focus on her, "Where did you learn how to dance, I don't remember you taking lessons like I had to." A slight flush crept into his cheeks and Saya blinked in surprise, Haji never blushed.

"I watched during your lessons." She frowned slightly.

"Oh… I always wondered after that party. Joel did too, he asked if I had taught you." She walked back towards the door a thoughtful frown still on her face. She had been so happy that night dancing with him and he had smiled something he rarely did even back then. She stopped just a foot from him and held out her left hand, she wanted to see him smile again so badly that it caused her heart to squeeze painfully. He stared at her hand for a moment before taking it in his own, she smiled up at him and led him to the dance floor turning to face him as she brought her hand up still encased lightly by his bandaged one, her other hand led his to her waist before it slid up to rest on his shoulder.

She let him lead and they moved slowly about the ballroom a melody drifting slowly to mind, it felt odd to be moving around the silent ballroom only the soft clicks of their shoes marring the silence. He moved them smoothly around the broken chandelier, "It's kind of scary at how familiar this is, the only things missing are the dresses and the people that used to stare at me." She stared at his shoulder where her hand rested for a long moment before looking up at him, his dark blue eyes were locked on her face and due to her looking up her red brown eyes locked with his. She felt her heart skip a beat then stutter back into a steady rhythm. He continued to watch her as they continued to move and she couldn't seem to tear her eyes from his.

He shifted them from the slow simple steps into a simple sweeping waltz that carried them around the room. Her heartbeat quickened as they danced and it wasn't due to the pace at which they danced, it was the look in his dark blue eyes. A kind of misty sad lost look, as if he were loosing something that mattered the world to him, her heart stuttered in her chest.

"Haji is something wrong?" he blinked at her for a moment.

"No, nothing is wrong." she watched his eyes, they held that same sadness that night at the ball even without his sad smile to help her read his thoughts. She shifted her right hand moving it to rest over his heart. It beat against her palm in a steady yet quick rythym, yet it skipped a beat when her fingers flexed slightly against his jacket. He was lying to her, hiding his feelings behind all those walls he had made over the years when she was asleep.

"You're not telling the truth Haji." he blinked at her and she couldn't help but smile at him, "It's alright though, I'm just glad that you're here with me." she felt his arm shift around her back drawing her slightly closer much as it had the night they slept under the tree. She only smiled again and moved forward tilting her head to rest it on his chest, she flet his heart thump heavily against her hand again and smiled closing her eyes, she felt safe and warm again. In truth she had wanted to do this the forst time they had danced together but it wouldn't have been proper. Joel would have thrown a fit if she had done this at the party, she sighed, standing like this she felt at peace. Her past wasn't running continuously through her mind, the millions of questions that were always there were silent.

She tilted her head just slightly to peer up at him, he was staring down at her with warm blue eyes. She couldn't stop the slight smile that curved her lips as she nuzzled her cheek against his chest again closing her eyes with a soft sigh. She liked this, it made her feel warm, safe, as it always did. In fact she hadn't even realized that they had stopped dancing and were standing still just holding one another, it didn't matter, she was content for the time being

A/N: Well I suppose that's it for this chapter, next is Haji's view just like the last time. I'm really really really sorry that it's taken me this long to write this out but my boss is still out do to medical reasons. Hopefully when she's back I'll have more time to write. I'll be updating _An Angel's Wings_ and _Record Keeper_ next, I'm trying to do round robins with them I think. . Just remember to review on all my stories!


	6. Waltz pt2

A/N: I dun own Blood+

A/N: I dun own Blood+!

Alex: Here we go, I don't really know how much longer this story will go on for, not over eight more chapters I think although I have been outlining another Blood+ fic to semi-follow this one.

Sally: There you go putting to much on your plate again.

Alex: Nuh-huh! Now hush! tosses her in the closet cage and all On with the chapter!

Waltz:

Slow Moving Steps

(Haji's point of view.)

She was staring at the ruins of the burnt mansion again just as she had when they had first approached the place. They both had memories, some he cherished some he could only wish to forget for eternity, he watched her face seeing the inner pain she was feeling written on the smooth contours and felt pain for being the one who had brought her back here to live through those memories again. This was, after all, the place where it had all started.

He followed her as she wondered up the cracked white stone steps that led up to the door of the manor to peer into the dark recesses of the ruins. When she placed a foot inside the door on the charred floor his heart stuttered in his chest, "Saya, it's too dangerous to go inside." The words left his lips before he could halt them or even think of a better way to put is so that it didn't sound so much like a scolding.

"It's okay, it looks solid enough, maybe…" She frowned slightly before she continued on, he followed not allowing her to stray too far away. The Shift were still around after all. He followed her watching her pause every so often a small smile coming to her face at times as she remembered past memories. Soon enough she reached back her fingers grasping the hem of his sleeve as she steered around unsafe looking areas.

Finally she came to pause in front of the large door that lead to the ballroom and he felt his own heart skip a beat as memories of their past came to surface in his mind. He watched as she frowned a little trying to remember before she turned up to look at him, "Um.. Haji… What room is this?" He blinked down at her, how could she not remember this room?

"The ballroom." He answered steadily ever the perfect chevalier, she turned back to the door her frown still on her face.

"I hated this room, I didn't like learning how to dance." He watched her nose crinkle slightly as she thought back, "All the dances that Joel had me learn were stuffy and complicated." She put her small pale hands against the darkened door and pushed swinging them open with a loud groan, she looked down at her hand then dusted it off with the other as she slipped into the room.

The fire damage hadn't really gotten that far in this room, the wood paneled walls were a bit charred and the old paintings that had decorated the walls were gone. Stuff from the ceiling littered the floor, the old silver candleholders were missing yet pools of wax lay on the floor where the fire had melted the old white candles. The chandelier lay broken in the middle of the floor covered in cobwebs and soot, the floor itself was alright due to the marble it was made of. The wall of windows that faced towards the garden were busted some missing completely like the heavy velvet drapes that were hanging tattered and burned. Old instruments lay in a heap around the burned piano apparently ones that people had been unable to save.

"You know now that this place looks like this I feel kind of sad, I liked dancing after I learned how." She moved farther into the room her shoes making soft sounds on the hard floors, he stayed where he was standing in the door watching her for a long moment before his mind started to drift back, his heart did a turn in his chest a soft warm feeling creeping into his body as he remembered happier times with her.

_The room changed in his mind, the burns disappeared, the lighting changed to that of soft candle light, and the chandelier hung from ceiling. Couples whirled along on the dance floor, others stood talking and laughing, having a good time. All except one, she stood against a wall watching everyone else with a soft sad look on her face. She looked lovely in the soft silk pink dress that Joel had bought for her, the elder man was forever dressing her in pink it seemed. She had been standing in the same spot for an hour watching everyone else dance that dances that she had so painstakingly learned. _

_He had stood in the same spot himself for just as long, next to the doors in the shadow of one of the curtains and his heart lurched in his chest with each sigh she heaved. Finally he had had enough, he moved forward smoothly until he stood in front of her one hand outstretched, he had spent the last month watching her lessons committing each step and each rule to his own mind just in case he ever had this chance. Her wide red brown eyes shot up to his face until they met the blue of his own, her hand slid into his, he led her to the dance floor noticing the strange looks that some of the couples there gave them._

_He had led her right hand to his shoulder as he wrapped his arm around her waist and caught her left hand up before he began moving them around the floor easily avoiding the other dancers. He took his steps carefully the steps he had memorized running through his head, in truth he was a bit tense as he tried not to mess up and step on her feet. His stomach lurched when she smiled up at him and his heart picked up a faster paced tempo. And so he danced with her song after song until finally another man asked her to dance, as she was led away his heart did a funny flip and a sense of loss shot through his stomach, sadness that he head to let her go. She turned slightly to peer over her shoulder at him, her smile had faded as she tried to smile at him again._

She turned to look at him, he could see the memories that were passing behind those red brown eyes. Her head tilted just slightly as she watched him, a small thoughtful frown on her face and he glanced away staring at the broken chandelier behind her, "Haji?" his eyes turned to focus on her, "Where did you learn how to dance, I don't remember you taking lessons like I had to." He felt it then, the warming in his cheeks that signaled that he was actually blushing.

"I watched during your lessons." Her lips tilted down again.

"Oh… I always wondered after that party. Joel did too, he asked if I had taught you." She walked back towards the door a thoughtful frown still on her face. Finally she stopped directly in front of him and held out a small pale hand, he stared at it for a moment before he took it the white bandages on his hand a stark white against the pale flesh of her smaller hand. She smiled up at him and pulled him back towards the center of the room. She turned to face him snagging his other hand to bring it to her waist before sliding her hand up his arm to rest lightly on his shoulder.

She let him lead and they moved slowly about the ballroom a melody drifting slowly to mind, it felt odd to be moving around the silent ballroom only the soft clicks of their shoes marring the silence. He moved them smoothly around the broken chandelier, "It's kind of scary at how familiar this is, the only things missing are the dresses and the people that used to stare at me." She stared at his shoulder where her hand rested for a long moment before looking up at him, his dark blue eyes were locked on her face and due to her looking up her red brown eyes locked with his. He felt his heart skip a beat and faintly wondered if she had felt it, his eyes stayed locked with hers.

He couldn't help but take the slow simple dance and turn it into a sweeping waltz that carried them lightly around the room, any excuse for how fast his heart was beating. He was enjoying having her back in his arms of her own free will and the temptation of pulling her closer tugging at the back of his mind.

"Haji is something wrong?" he blinked at her for a moment.

"No, nothing is wrong." Her eyes stayed locked with his, they were asking questions that she wouldn't voice. She shifted her right hand moving it to rest over his heart. He knew she could feel his heart's pounding beat, could tell that she knew he was hiding things.

"You're not telling the truth Haji." he blinked at her and she smiled just slightly up at him, "It's alright though, I'm just glad that you're here with me." His slid his arm around her back holding her closer as he had the night under the tree, he had to it was an urge he couldn't deny he needed her to be close to him if only for a little while. She only smiled again and moved forward tilting her head to rest it on his chest, his heart stuttered in his chest and her small smile softened as she closed her eyes, and for a while he would feel whole again. He wished they would have been able to do this the first time they danced but the priorities back then wouldn't allow it, Joel would have had his skin. He peered down at her watching her contentedly.

She tilted her head just slightly to peer up at him, he stomped down on the blush that wanted to surface and watched her smile her slight smile again and she nuzzled her cheek against his chest. His heart thumped in his chest again, and he tried to relax and enjoy the moment yet he couldn't let his guard down least they be attacked. He hadn't even seemed to realize that he had stopped moving and just stood holding her.

A/N: Okay guys I'm really sorry that this took so long, I really didn't mean for it to. I'm afraid I've been a little over worked lately so when I'm not at work I'm asleep, please forgive me!


	7. Sinking pt 1

Alex: OOOOOOOHHHH MY GOD

Alex: OOOOOOOHHHH MY GOD! I'm so sorry that it's taken me this long to get this chappie up. You wouldn't believe the hell I've been through with it! Got it almost done… CRASH! There goes my computer…. Get it half way back done, after I get my evil laptop fixed and…… CRASH! Again! I'll tell you what I was pulling my hair out!

Sally: Trust me she was… she cried herself to sleep each time to. Funny stuff.

Alex: Shut up you! But anyway here it is after such a long awaited time!

Chapter Seven: Sinking

(Saya Vision! j/k)

The Red Shield base was sinking under her feet, the deck rolling and pitching, how she managed to stay upright was a mystery to the small woman standing on deck her sword in hand. At her side she could feel the presence of her Chevalier, in front of her stood her twin sister, her blue eyes blazing along with her smug grin, behind her Carl in his true form was just itching to jump at her.

"What's wrong Saya-neechan? You seem upset?" the innocent way Diva spoke her words grated on Saya's already ragged nerves and torn emotions. Her own sister had killed her little brother, Riku had been an innocent to her, so kind and gentle.

"Diva…" she said it softly yet somehow her anger came through the word easily causing it to sound husky and slightly sharp. Diva just giggled and placed a hand on Carl's shoulder.

"Uh oh… I think Saya-neechan really is mad a me!" somehow she sounded pouty and sad, it was all an act. Saya could read it so easily in her sisters still glowing eyes, she was tickled that she had finally gotten under Saya's skin, had made her bleed in a way that didn't include actually cutting her flesh, no she had cut something even more important, her heart, her soul. And the cut was deep, added to the ones that Diva had placed there over all the time they had spent fighting. She lunged forward sword held down by her side, Carl met her half way at Diva's gleeful laugh. They fought, each meeting of sword against his thick skin jarring her arms until her joints hurt, finally she knocked him away and focused her blood colored gaze on her double. She flashed forward, felt the wind moving her hair back from her face, her sister met her half way using a spike from Carl in place of a sword, "Aww, poor Saya-neechan, you're all upset."

They clashed over and over again until Carl finally pulled himself up and tried to attack her from behind, his claws grazing her clothes before Haji knocked him away. Haji: her partner, her companion, and her friend. He was always there for her, protecting her from as many evils as he could. Diva shoved her back and she stumbled, she felt and heard the splash of water as her boot met it, the ship was going under quickly now. Carl scooped up Diva and took to the air as Saya caught her balance and moved forward again, her sister waved still grinning happily before throwing the spike at them full strength, Haji pulled her out of harms way.

"Saya!" she couldn't move, the anger and pain she had held back all surfaced at once and it was ripping her apart from the inside out, his warm arms surrounded her and she heard the leathery sound of wings unfolding before she was pulled into the air, the red water lapped at her boots for a moment as the flaming ship was pulled the rest of the way under and the sea went dark. Only the silvery moon lit their way now as they hovered a few feet above the water, the leather sound of his wings beating and the fact that the water fell farther and farther away from them told Saya that he was taking them higher.

Something scalding hot ran down her face and she reached up quickly to feel for blood, her hands came away wet yet not with blood, with clear salty tears. She blinked a few times the tears still falling; she watched them drop past their feet to join the salty ocean water below. They wouldn't stop and with each falling tear her heart throbbed painfully, she felt the warm bands that were Haji's arms tighten around her as they started to move away from the now invisible ship. She twisted in his arms and he shifted to accommodate her as she buried her face in his shirt front, her right hand was still firmly clenched around the hilt of her sword yet her dampened left hand clenched onto his jacket lapel.

It was then the sobs tore out of her throat, they came straight from her heart, one of his hands slid up to slide into her hair holding her to him gently as if she were the most precious thing in the world, it warmed her in a way and made the tears fall faster. She didn't deserve any of it, she had let Diva out, and Diva was destroying everything that was precious to her. Finally the tears slowed and her sobbing quieted, yet the still fell soaking the front of Haji's shirt. She pulled back a bit reaching up with the hand that had been clutching his jacket to scrub at her eyes, she knew her face was red and blotchy and her eyes swollen, "I'm sorry Haji…. I didn't mean…" he just hugged her closer glancing down at her with a haunted look, one that said it was alright for her to cry. She wiggled in his arms moving up to rest her cheek against his shoulder.

"Saya…." She clenched her eyes shut at the tenderness in his tone and snuggled into him. And he held her like that until she could hear the sounds of a town, cracking her now dry eyes open she could see the lights, not much later they landed and she heard the leathery rustle of his wings as he pulled them back into his body, he never let her feet touch the ground instead he swung her up into his arms sword and all.

"Where are we?" she tried to look around, she was confused and her heart still throbbed in her chest with each beat. He carried her yet for some reason she could tell that his attention was truly on her and not where they were going; instead of heading into the town he took a different path, into the woods and up a hill until a small shack came into view. It was run down and looked as if no one had been in it in years, yet he opened the door with a small nudge of his foot and strode in, he had to duck to keep his head from hitting the frame, once inside her eyes were slow to adjust, her sword dropped from numb fingers to clatter to the wooden floor. He paused for a moment looking down at her before he moved on over, in one corner of the one room shack was a twin sized bed, it was there he deposited her. She didn't want to let go of him, the thought of releasing her hold on him made her feel as if he would disappear forever. She clung to him, after a moment of trying to detangle himself he followed her into the bed stretching out beside her, she snuggled close to him, there were no more tears to cry, just a strange empty numb feeling that was slowly seeping through her body, "Never again Haji, I won't let her kill another person important to me." The words were hollow as she felt something inside her sink and disappear into the darkness of the numb feeling that was seeping through her core to spread out through her body.

He stared down at her for a few moments and she saw the flicker of sadness, a deep sadness cross his hazy dark blue eyes he nodded only once, just the slightest bob of his head, "I understand Saya." She nodded in return and burrowed her face into his shoulder. She felt herself sinking deeper, gone was the happy girl that had been only hours before, now there was only sadness and determination, she could feel his eyes on her as she started to drift embracing the darkness that was coming swiftly. Warm fingers brushed over her cheek and she opened her coppery eyes just a bit to stare at the dark blue ones that were filled with the sadness she had only glimpsed of moments before, "Saya…" her name on his lips caused a sharp tug in her heart, the pain and sadness in that one spoken word. Haji was the same as her, just as torn and sad, she snuggled closer and felt the warm bands of his arms tighten around her, and thus she slept, for how long she didn't know, she was just thankful for the oblivion that she embraced gladly.

A/N: This one seems a bit dark and there's not all that much dialogue but I really wanted to do this chapter and it kind of just flowed right out of my fingertips, to show what happened on the Red Shield ship, I know Haji didn't play much of a major role in this version but in the next I promise he will. And guys please keep sending the reviews, you guys are really and truly my inspiration, I go back and read them more often then you think! A


	8. Sinking pt 2

Alex: Okay, so this time it took me less time, whoot! I'm proud of myself.

Sally: After all the bitching I had to get you to…

Alex: Shaddap! After this set of chapter I think I may do one more set and let it end, possibly two sets if it hits me right in the butt. I hope you enjoy this chapter of Haji's view.

Chapter Eight:

Sinking Pt. 2

His heart was beating just a little faster then usual as he stood just to the side and slightly behind his queen his midnight eyes trained on Carl, the man was bouncing slightly in anticipation of attacking Saya. His eyes narrowed slightly, not while he still drew breath. He would stand with his Saya until the ship completely submerged if that's what it took to protect her. He could feel the anger and despair rolling off of her tense frame.

"What's wrong Saya-neechan? You seem upset?" the innocent way Diva spoke her words made his Queens body tense further and his guard raised, Saya wouldn't stand much more goading from her sister.

"Diva…" he heard the threat in her quiet snapped tone, it made an old fear rise in his chest, Diva placed her hand on Carl's shoulder with a small smug smirk.

"Uh oh… I think Saya-neechan really is mad a me!" he could hear the false pout in her voice, see it on her face, the other queen was giddily laughing inside at having Saya's full attention on her again. Although not physically he could see the cut and blood forming in his Saya's heart, it shattered his own, there would be no going back after this. This would be the very last time that the sisters awoke and chased each other in battle.

Saya shifted and he did as well, they had been together for so long that it was second nature, they moved together so easily, they always had. Carl rushed forward to meet her, the clash of sword against chiropteran bone rang in the air loudly, it hurt his ears as did the gleeful laugh from Diva. They met again and again until finally she knocked Carl aside to him as she rushed to meet her sister who used a spike from Carl as a weapon, the blue eyed sister pouted up at the red eyed one, "Aww, poor Saya-neechan, you're all upset."

They continued to clash backing off, circling one another before meeting again. Carl pulled himself up and made to attack again his long claws grazing Saya's clothes before he was suddenly there inserting himself between them, no one would hurt his Saya. He would protect her forever, she was his friend, his companion, his queen, and his love. With one shove Diva pushed Saya off balance and away into the rising water, the ship was going to be underwater soon. Diva waved grinning as Carl swooped her up and into the dark skies to safety, Saya had regained her balance just as a spike came whistling from the darkness, thrown by Diva. Haji shot forward, "Saya!" his arms wrapped around her pulling her back out of harms way as the spike drove into the ships hull scant inches from her boots as their feet splashed into the water.

She was shaking in his arms, from anger or fear he couldn't tell, the ship was almost under, he had to break his promise. He unfurled his wings and they caught an updraft and lifted them from the red water, the ship sank beneath the surface and all went dark as they hovered scant feet above the liquid surface. His heart was pounding as he beat his wings lifting them higher into the sky, he broke his promise, the promise he had made to her and himself. He felt her shoulder shake slightly and tightened his hold on her just before she squirmed wiggling in his arms to turn to face him, he shifted automatically to make it easier for her to do so her face burrowed itself into his chest hiding in the white fabric of his shirt, slowly something warm seeped through the clothing as her free hand gripped his lapel.

Her slim body trembled against his then sobs tore out of her throat, each tore at his heart, he slid a hand up into her silky hair letting the short strands tangle around his fingers. She was the most precious thing in his world yet her tears came faster and her sobs harder. Finally the tears slowed and her sobbing quieted, yet they still fell soaking the front of his shirt. She pulled back a bit reaching up with the hand that had been clutching his jacket to scrub at her eyes, her eyes were a bit red and puffy, "I'm sorry Haji…. I didn't mean…" he just hugged her closer looking down at her, his eyes warmed as he stared down at her. She wiggled in his arms moving up to rest her cheek against his shoulder.

"Saya…." He murmured her name against her hair, she and snuggled into him. He held her like that until he saw the faint lights of the small town he had headed for, he had hidden there for a while during her last sleep, shifting he angled downward his feet landing with a dull thud as he pulled his wings back into his body with a soft rustling sound, he never let her feet touch the ground instead he swung her up into his arms sword and all.

"Where are we?" He carried her he kept his attention fully on her watching for signs of another break down his feet automatically finding their way to where he wanted to go. Instead of heading into the town he took a different path, into the woods and up a hill until a small shack came into view. It was run down and looked as if no one had been in it in years, yet he opened the door with a small nudge of his foot and strode in, he had to duck to keep his head from hitting the frame once inside her sword dropped from numb fingers to clatter to the wooden floor. He paused for a moment looking down at her before he moved on over, in one corner of the one room shack was a twin sized bed, it was there he deposited her. She clung to him, after a moment of trying to detangle himself he followed her into the bed stretching out beside her, she snuggled close to him, she didn't cry anymore but her odd silence worried him, "Never again Haji, I won't let her kill another person important to me." The words were soft but had a hollow sound the stabbed all the way to his core, her voice was distanced as if she were dead inside.

He stared down at her for a few moments and felt the stab of sadness deepen, his Saya had locked herself away yet he would follow her anywhere she asked so he just nodded once, "I understand Saya." She nodded in return and burrowed her face into his shoulder. Slowly her eyes started to close yet her face didn't take on the appearance of a peaceful sleep, he brushed his fingers over tracing the tear tracks left behind her cheek and she opened her coppery eyes just a bit to stare into his dark blue ones as his sadness deepened again, "Saya…" he whispered her name knowing that the haunted sadness in her copper eyes mirrored his own, she burrowed closer finally slipping into sleep as he tightened his hold on her his face burying in her hair.

He held her until dawn started to creep into the one window of the cabin before detangling himself, a quick trip to the village allowed him to gather food for her as well as new clothes. He found her staring out at the water when he returned, she turned to look at him as he approached, there was no welcoming smile.

"Teach me Haji, teach me how to fight like I used to." He nodded, this was only the beginning of it all and thus he stepped forward to do as his queen asked.

A/N: Blarg! *falls over half dead* I know it's not as good as it could be and there are probably mistakes galore buuuuut… at least I got it done! Finally! I have also put up a poll for this story namely because I have no idea how to end this story sooo help me out a bit. Anywho's reviews and/or flames welcome.


	9. Sleep pt1

Alex: Um….. I have noooo excuse prepared….

Sally: That's a first….o.o

Alex: Shut up. All I can say is that I had to wait to go to the library and watch the last episode again…. Sadly.. stupid evil dial up! ARRRG!

Sally: If you hate it that much you can always move you know.

Alex: How about no, I like the peace and quiet of the country thank you very much!

Sally: Aaaaalex…

Alex: Oh! Story story, chappie has to be done now. O.o

Chapter 9:

Sleep

(Saya, thought I'd try something a little different)

Those words, 'I want you to live.' They came from the mouths of two of the people she cared the most about, the two only family that she had left. Haji, Kai, it was so hard hearing it from them. It tore at her. Made her desires, her wants surface in a rush, over riding that which she had decided so long before.

"I have always loved you Saya." Those words, they did her in, she would live for him. He had been beside her the entire way, wavering only once. He had fought for her, protected her, cared for her, been patient for her, and he had waited for her every time she slept.

His face leaned against hers, they didn't have to talk to convey feelings anymore, they knew each other so well. She spoke and almost choked on her words peering up at him tears tracking down her face, and then he kissed her and she kissed back. Her heart thumped loudly in her chest her hand pressing against his warm chest lightly as his lips pressed against hers, her stomach flipped as he pulled back just a bit resting their foreheads together for just a moment.

And then she lost him in that last fight when he took her sword, he let her live, "HAJI!" his name was ripped from her very core, pain slashed along her heart and stomach and left her burning as Kai drug her and the babies away. She cried when no one could see her often hiding in her room with the babies as her heart throbbed.

"My sister Diva… my father… my little brother Riku…. My Haji."

***

"Saya!" Kai's voice brought her out of her stupor for the first time in days and she stirred in her bed, "Saya c'mon get up, enough, you've got to go to school." She rolled over to peer up at him, glad of her fast healing so that her eyes weren't still red and puffy. Her heart throbbed again and it took all of her will not to curl up and cry again, "Hey there sleepy head! Get up, I made lunch for you to take to school."

"I still can't believe you're not going back." She sat up running a hand through her messy hair, all to aware of the throbbing of her heart, and of the fact that she was getting sleepy. It was getting harder and harder to wake up each day, she hid it from them all.

"Yeah well… I want to open this place back up for Dad and Riku. Julia says it's time to name the babies now that she's got all the tests done." He was headed towards the door already, "We'll talk more when you get downstairs." Her door clicked shut and she sagged back against her headboard clutching at her heart as it throbbed, taking a deep breath she slid out of bed swaying as dizziness took over.

"Just a few more days left…" and with that she struggled into her clothes, her mind drifting back as she combed her hair, to a time when she had done it for someone much taller. She slid her hand along the wall as she descended the stairs, last thing she wanted was to fall and worry Kai, they'd all catch on if she did. He had breakfast waiting on her, she dropped into her seat keeping her eyes away from the two empty chairs that would never have their owners in them again.

"Have you thought of names yet?" she nodded reaching for her chopsticks she started stuffing her face, "Well?"

"Difa for fhe one wif…"

"Swallow first you idiot." He chuckled rolling his eyes at her at the same time. She gulped down her food.

"Diva for the one with blue eyes, I was named after my mother after all so one of them should be named after my sister. And Rika for the one with red, it's kind of a girl version of Riku ya know. I know I can't ever have my little brother and my sister back but this way their memory will live on." He nodded in agreement.

"Tell Julia when you go to the doctors today, it's time for you're transfusion." She winced, she hated them, besides it wasn't going to help, her sleep was approaching fast. Each day was worse then the next to her, the dragging feeling in her limbs, the unfocused nature of her mind, how easily she slipped into sleep, how her mind drifted back. As she walked to school she wiped away a stray tear, two days was all she had at the most, today she had to tell everyone that there was to be a party.

She really tried to concentrate, it was hard, her mind was so fuzzy, her heart ached images of Haji being crushed under a ton of rocks Amshels claws stuck through him pinning him to the crystallizing monster. It was Kai who took care of her, took her to the tomb to sleep, it was where she wanted to go, she wanted to be near the ocean, he'd look for her there. She had always wanted to see the ocean.

Even in her sleep she saw him, felt him, heard the sounds of a cello. In her sleep she smiled, her never changing body warming as sweet dreams flitted through her mind, of a soft sweet kiss when she needed it the most to live, a giving kiss when her hunger was about to destroy her, a passionate kiss that had been stolen away by her secret love. Even in her sleep there was always a dull throb under the warmth, tears slid down her cheeks from her closed eyes, to the outside world she had been asleep for a long time and they were waiting on her, to her she had been asleep for only hours and the pain hadn't gone away yet.

She felt the first stirrings of waking and fought against it, she didn't want to wake, he wouldn't be waiting for her this time, he wouldn't come find her this time.

"Do you think Auntie Saya will wake up today?!" two young voices chimed together, her heart twisted sharply as she continued to fight against waking. As much as she wanted to see her dear nieces, the last pieces of her brother and sister, she didn't want to wake, "Oh look! Another rose!" her heart paused and her eyes fluttered open.

A/N: I'm so sorry it took this long but a dear close friend of mine had a bit of a family crisis. Her dad had cancer and I was kinda helping her get through it. I want to thank everyone so much for their reviews, if I get to sixty I will be a happy kitty! And as a side note there will be one more chapter, it will be the last. This chapter is a little different, I was trying a new writing thingy I heard about, tell me if it's any good, and don't hold back if it's not or I'll… um… I'll think of something! Thankies, and I'm off to bed now, nini all!


	10. Sleep pt2

Alex: FINALLY!! Here it is the last chapter of FKFC! I'm happy and sad at the same time, happy that I finally got this chapter written and up for you guys and sad because it's the end of the story. Anyway here we go. -keeps Sally tied up and gagged- . Pay no attention to the fairy under the bed!

Sleep Pt 2: Kiss Me When You Wake

Pain was nothing new to him, in fact he had built up quite a tolerance for it. But as those rocks crashed down upon him, crushing him farther onto the claws that speared his belly, he new a new meaning to the word. Not physical, but emotional, as he watched her disappear from his view, her voice scream out his name, still screaming as they dragged her on out of the building. Then it was silent, except for the falling rumble, the calm before the storm.

For a moment or two the darkness closed in around him, he shook it off as lesser injuries healed, yet the claws stabbing through his stomach didn't. The calm before the storm, those words continued to echo through his mind. He twisted shoving at the rubble that covered him until it started to slide, finally it fell with a crash giving him his first breath of fresh air. He pulled, hard, feeling his immortal muscles strain as he fought to pull the katana free of the crystallized beast attached to him. With a grating sound the blade slid free, he hacked down thrusting the blade through the crystallized body finally falling free with the claws still stabbed through him. He pulled the bottom half of his body out of the rubble hearing cloth and flesh tare, all was numb now, except the pain in his chest, that pain not even linked to the claws stabbing through him.

He tumbled and found that he wasn't as numb as he thought because pain radiated through his being as he pushed himself up onto shaky limbs and stumbled towards the nearest door. He had to get out, he wouldn't be able to protect his Saya again if he got blown up. His mind blanked out other then that need to get out of the building, had to get back to Saya. Faintly he noted that he was outside, he stumbled farther away, the farther away the better. His heart pounded scraping against that claw stuck through his chest, he turned in time to watch the building crash down the flash of light and flames form the bomb taking it all that much easier. A heavy breath rushed through his chest, it was over, his Saya could rest now.

Finding a dark alley way wasn't hard, finding one that was deserted was harder. When he did he fell to his knees in the back of hit a cough wracking his body, blood splattered the pavement, the sword he'd somehow clutched to clattered and skittered away with a metallic sound. He sat back on his legs and stared down at the monstrosity of a claw through his body. Of course, Amshel the bastard had to curl his talons so that they couldn't be easily removed. Reaching behind himself he groped for the first one, the one near his lower back, gripping the other end just at his abdomen her jerked down on both ends, biting his lip until the blood flowed as the pain tore through him. The crack of the talon breaking in two was a sound of relief as he slid the broken curved part out of his flesh. Four more to go and he was already shaking. Crack, another stifled cry of pain and the sound of stone hitting stone. Crack...crack... He panted leaning down to rest his hot forehead against the cold pavement, just one more, the dangerous one, the one directly in the center of his chest. Raising up on shaking bloodied claws he gripped the last one, this one was more awkward then the others, harder to reach behind him to grasp, then he jerked, CRACK! This time there was no holding it back as the thing broke and fell out of him, the weight of the main hand pulling the rest of it out, freeing him. Blood rained to the ground and he fell, half lidded eyes watching the blood pool. His eyes fluttered then closed, "Saya..." the word whispered out of him before the darkness took him.

***

His head turned at the sound of two little girls talking to their adopted father as they came up the steps, he sat just inside the tomb doorway leaned back against the wall, his elbows propped up on his knees his pale skinned hands clasped together. Thirty years was always such a long time, beside him sat a new cello, he'd left his old one with the others, sneaking back in only to place Saya's sword and his daggers where they belonged.

His midnight blue eyes stayed locked on the large pink cocoon holding his queen, his Saya. She was late waking up, fighting it, yet lovely all the same. Her hair had grown curling around her body so that it created a shroud to hide her pale body from view, her angelic face seeming so sad that you could almost see the tears she wept. His heart ached for her, his arms longed to hold her. His hands clenched tighter together.

"Do you think Auntie Saya will wake up today?!" two young voices chimed together, "Oh look! Another rose!" Saya moved, her heart skipping a beat. He smiled, she was aware at least, she should have known he would always leave roses for her, always to show his love. She shifted and he surged to his feet, heart beat picking up. She struggled reaching out to claw at the cocoon, sharp nails slicing so easily through the tough membrane, a pinkish clear goo flowed out taking her with it. She lay there for a moment then pushed herself on shaky arms and knees, after a few moments she stood swaying and stumbling with the first few steps she took, another step and she went sprawling. He was there to catch her.

"Haji!" the older yet still distinct voice of Kei was shocked. The dark head that was burrowed into his chest tilted up to blink large bewildered eyes at him. Her hands tightened on his white sleeves where they had caught hold as her body fell into his.

"H..Haji...my Haji..." the whispered words fell from her lips, his chest crowded full, happiness filling him. His head leaned down his lips pressing against hers until her arms slid around his neck and she kissed him back. The two little girly giggles and a male throat being cleared made him lift his head and smile his slight smile down at her. She grinned, her entire being glowing at him joining love with the full feeling in his chest, "I thought you were gone, never leave me again." she gripped his shoulders and shook them weakly.

"I promise, my Saya, that I'll always be here to kiss you when you wake." her face flushed pink before he slid his jacket over her shoulders then scooped her up in his arms turning to look at his new family, but then again, wherever Saya was was where his family was.

"So.. you'll always kiss me when I wake?" she peeked up at him through her lashes, he nodded.

"Always."

***

Alex: So there it is! Kind of a bit different then my others but I like to differentiate and try new things, and to tell the truth Haji is a hard guy to write for considering he doesn't really show all that many emotions, physically, other then that little bitty ass smile of his! But this is the end of this! -Takes a bow- Although if you guys are too terribly mad at me I wouldn't mind hearing about it and maybe being talked into a second part? Anywho it's 7a.m. And I have to work soooo night all enjoy!


	11. Authors Note

Hi ya'll, I know how everyone hates author note chapters but I think you'll all like this one. If this story makes it to either 100 faves or 100 reviews, or even 23,000 views I will write another chapter! I didn't think this would become all that popular but it's on Recomended reading list and has had over 22,000 views! So I think if I can get to at least that it deserves another chapter, Sally and Sandy agree. I will even let you guys choose where the chapter will take place (as in where abouts in the story) by placing a poll on my profile. And thus this ends my little tirade.

~Alex~


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